To our Christian Brothers all over Canada, the United States, Europe and the World.

Saint John The Baptist Church in Salhiye, Lebanon is one of the 46 Catholic Churches destroyed in 1985 by extremist militias who invaded the whole area east of the Biblical city of Sidon where our Lord Jesus walked and preached. The militias turned many villages into rubble, hoping that its Catholic inhabitants would never return.

The people of Salhiye never lost hope. As soon as peace was restored and the Lebanese army regained control of the area, they came back. They rebuilt their homes and started a fund raising campaign for the reconstruction of Saint John The Baptist Church. Initially they celebrated Masses in a sanctuary dug in the side of a hill where hundreds of years ago, their ancestors gathered to pray. Eventually they began to celebrate Masses on the site of St. John The Baptist Church that was being constructed.

Salhiye and its church is a typical story of faith in God, attachmennt of the villagers to their Catholic faith and the love of the land where our Lord Jesus walked and preached.

We as should sponsor and help those villagers, those early Christians who date back to the time of Christ. Let us help to rebuild Saint John The Baptist Catholic Church in Salhiye. In those villages the church is the center of religious, social and other activities. The Church unites the villagers and strengthens their faith. After 2000 years Catholics have become a minority in the Holy Land. We can help and make a difference!

Please contact Bro. Hikmat Dandan, Chairman of this project and an active member of the North York Knights Of Columbus, Council 4393, and pledge a donation.

Henry Tang Grand Knight Council 4393

MESSAGE OF THE PROJECT’S CHAIRMAN

The Knights Of Columbus are known for their ideals of Charity, Unity, Fraternity & Patriotism. Christian brothers all over the world, let us unite in extending a helping hand to the descendants of the early Christians in the Middle East. They have been ravished by wars and misfortunes and their churches have been leveled by evil aggressors. After all, it was Saint Peter who established their community before he traveled to Rome. A Brother Knight once told me : “ It’s a shame that the places where Jesus walked and talked are covered with rubble rather than gold. The churches of that area should be a testimonial to his life, and should provide Christians from all over the world a place to gather, worship and rejoice.” Brothers it is our duty to partake in this feat. Let us join hands and rebuild our churches, ONE CHURCH AT A TIME. Let us leave our mark on this world and rebuild churches for Jesus. Your contributions, no matter the amount, will help in cementing the blocks of faith in our Christian churches of the Middle East.